


The Dark Hills

by TunaRamen



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Fanclan, Just a little bit of gay, Multi, OCs - Freeform, Warrior Cats, because I'm gay, but there's still a plot, this is actually pretty dark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:54:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28735302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TunaRamen/pseuds/TunaRamen
Summary: It had been years since Rookstar had successfully taken over all the Clans, molding them into her own version of what she thought the Clans should be. Now it was one big Clan; SpiritClan. A Clan with no conflict. A Clan with a new code. A Clan where everyone was safe.It was also a Clan of hatred and torture. A Clan under the rule of a tyrant. A Clan where the weaker cats were treated poorly. A Clan where you faced a death penalty for breaking the code. A Clan where no one was allowed to escape, despite many failed attempts.The fate of the cats of SpiritClan rests in the paws of a young apprentice, Featherpaw, whose parents were killed after breaking the code. She has the potential to save the cats of SpiritClan, or become the next Rookstar and destroy them.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	1. Allegiances

**Author's Note:**

> i'm so sorry for the poor formatting here

**Leader:**

**Rookstar -** slender, black and white she-cat with a long scar across her right eye

**Deputy:**

**Eaglestrike -** large, reddish-brown tabby tom with a white underbelly and amber eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

**Duckfoot -** speckled, pale brown-and-gold tom with green eyes and very messy fur

**Guards:**

**Blizzardblaze -** short-furred white tom with amber eyes 

**Stonefall -** very dark grey tom with darker flecks and amber eyes

 **Lightningclaw -** pale tabby she-cat with thick, black stripes and blue eyes

 **Blackflame -** broad-shouldered black tom with bright amber eyes 

**Ravengaze -** black she-cat with fluffy, white-tipped paws and blue eyes

 **Willowspring -** long-furred, silver tom with blue eyes

 **Breezefeather -** light brown tabby she-cat with white patches and green eyes

 **Harestep -** white tom with dark brown patches and green eyes

 **Thornfang -** golden-brown tabby tom with green eyes

**Hunters:**

**Spiderleap -** skinny black tom with amber eyes

 **Echobreeze -** silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Rosethorn -** pale ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Dewwhisker -** speckled, dusty-brown tom with green eyes

 **Cloudpatch -** pale gray she-cat with white patches and blue eyes

 **Haywhisker -** sandy-brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Mousefoot -** very small, mottled gray tom with amber eyes

 **Foxjaw -** slender, dark ginger she-cat with a long snout and amber eyes

 **Beetleberry -** black tom with reddish-brown underbelly and amber eyes

**Apprentices:**

**Featherpaw -** silver tabby she-cat with black patches and green eyes

 **Goldenpaw -** fluffy, golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Robinpaw -** dark ginger and white tom with amber eyes

 **Rushpaw -** ginger tabby she-cat with darker stripes and blue eyes

**Elders:**

**Twistedfoot -** dark gray tom with a scarred, twisted paw and blue eyes

 **Bluepetal -** blue-grey she-cat with blue eyes

 **Graystorm -** long-furred gray tabby tom

**SpiritClan Code:**

  1. The leader's word is law. Anybody who disobeys this code will be severely punished. 
  2. Curfew is at dusk. Every cat, excusing nightfall guards, is to be in their nest by curfew. Any cat who is out past curfew will face the punishment of no food for a quarter-moon. 
  3. No cat is to try and leave SpiritClan territory. Any cat who attempts to do so will face a death penalty.
  4. The leader, deputy, and guards are to eat first. Apprentices, elders, and queens eat next. The remainder of the food goes to the hunters. If there is no food left, the hunters will not get to eat.
  5. Hunters will not talk back to guards. Depending on the severity of the situation, doing so will either result in the punishment of no food for a quarter moon or a death penalty. 
  6. Kits must be at least six moons old to be apprenticed. An apprentice does not start out with a mentor, instead, they learn from watching the older apprentices. At eight moons old, they recieve an assessment. If they pass, they are assigned a guard as their mentor and train to become a guard for the duration of their apprenticeship. If they do not pass, they train to become a hunter for the duration of their apprenticeship.
  7. The deputy will become Clan leader after the current leader dies.
  8. One must be a guard in order to become deputy. A hunter cannot become deputy.




	2. Prologue

The night was quiet. Wind whistled through the cracks of the nursery, sending a chill down Echobreeze’s spine. She wrapped her tail around Featherkit, who was mewling indignantly at the cold. 

“Sh, it’s okay, little one,” Echobreeze whispered, pressing her nose to the tiny black and grey kit. Featherkit settled down a little bit, but she was still trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Echobreeze sighed and rested her head on her paws. She was so frail with the lack of food she had been getting. This leaf-bare was a harsh one, and there was hardly enough prey to go around. Most of it had been given to the leader and the guards, leaving only scraps for the hunters and the queens. 

She was worried about Spiderleap, on top of it all. It had been days since she had seen him, probably just because he was so busy. The other queens had assured her that he was probably fine. Most hunters didn’t get the opportunity to visit their mates very often.

Because of the cold and the lack of food, Echobreeze had lost one of her two kits, Blizzardkit. He had died only a day after being born. Echobreeze was devastated over the loss of her son, but little Featherkit had pulled through. She was healthy, despite being half-starved. Echobreeze was glad that her remaining kit was still thriving, but she had wished that Spiderleap had gotten the chance to meet his son.

 _At least we still have you,_ Echobreeze thought silently as she gave Featherkit a few gentle licks. Suddenly, the sound of twigs snapping could be heard outside the nursery. Echobreeze felt as though her heart froze. Trying to keep her fur flat, she curled around Featherkit and pretended to sleep. It was probably one of the guards, checking to make sure no cat was out past curfew. 

Echobreeze knew that it was the guards’ job to protect the cats of SpiritClan, but she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by them. She had watched the way they punished cats who broke the Clan code, and it was brutal. 

Being awake past curfew wasn’t too much of a problem just as long as you were in your nest and not 

talking to one another, but Echobreeze wasn’t going to take her chances.

The pawsteps outside sounded as though they were coming closer. Suddenly, everything went dark as the figure of another cat blocked the entrance of the nursery. Echobreeze squeezed her eyes shut and instinctively wrapped her tail around Featherkit, muffling her tiny mewls of protest. 

Echobreeze tried to hold still as the cat came closer, but it was hard with her heart racing as fast as it was. Guards hardly ever went into the nursery, so she knew someone was about to get punished. Echobreeze had never broken the Clan code, but she still feared for her life. She wasn’t afraid of death, more rather she didn’t want to leave Featherkit without a mother.

The cat came closer to Echobreeze’s nest, and she could almost feel their hot breath on her back. Echobreeze trembled immensely and put in every effort she could to keep her breathing steady.

_Please, spare me…_

“Aw, you’re not afraid of me, are you?”

Echobreeze’s ears perked up at the familiar voice. Her eyes snapped open as she looked up.

“Spiderleap!” she quietly exclaimed. She happily reached her head up to touch noses with the black tom. “You have no idea how relieved I am to see you in here.” But suddenly, her happiness turned to stone-cold fear. “What are you doing out past curfew? Do you know what will happen if you get caught?”

Spiderleap’s eyes were glazed with worry, but he kept his tone calm. “I really needed to see you. And our daughter. Every day, my heart ached with longing to see your face, but I never got the chance to. The guards have been keeping us hunters busy at every waking moment of the day.” His gaze lowered to the ground. “I’m sorry.”

Echobreeze felt her heart warm with such love for the black tom. But she was also afraid for him. If he got caught, surely he would be punished.

“I also got you something,” Spiderleap added. He turned away for a second, then returned with a fat blackbird clamped in his jaws. He dropped the blackbird at Echobreeze’s paws. “For you,” he told her.

Echobreeze was speechless. She couldn’t bring herself to eat it. “You hunted? Past curfew? Spiderleap, do you know what they’re going to do to you if they find out you did this? Prey as good as this needs to go to the guards.”

“Can we just forget about the SpiritClan code for a moment? You’re hungry, and I can’t bear to see you starve. You need the strength to produce milk for our kit.”

Echobreeze sighed as Spiderleap lay down next to her. She felt comforted by the feeling of his soft pelt brushing up against her, but it didn’t wash away all of her fears.

“I just don’t want anything bad happening to you,” she murmured, resting her head underneath his chin.

“Hey,” he responded, “don’t you worry about me. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep you strong. Now please, eat the blackbird.”

Echobreeze reluctantly leaned over and sank her teeth into the blackbird. It was cold, but it was better than anything she had eaten in weeks. The flavor melted in her mouth. With every bite, she could feel her strength regaining.

Echobreeze swiped her tongue across her mouth, then pushed the half-eaten blackbird over to Spiderleap, offering him to eat it.

“No, you need to eat all of it,” Spiderleap told her, shoving it back. “You need your strength.”

“And so do you!” Echobreeze protested, quietly to make sure she didn’t wake anyone else in the nursery. “You’re probably starving, as well. I’ve eaten my share, now it’s your turn.”

Spiderleap sighed, but he took a small bite out of the blackbird. He refused to eat any more, but Echobreeze was satisfied with him just having a little bit of food in his belly.

“I’m glad you came,” Echobreeze admitted, cuddling closer to him. 

“I am, too,” Spiderleap purred as he gave her ear a soft lick. 

Spiderleap leaned over and plucked a single black feather off the blackbird. He then reached over Echobreeze’s side and set the feather on top of Featherkit’s head.

“What was that for?” Echobreeze asked, purring with amusement.

“Something to remember me by,” Spiderleap replied simply. He brought his front paw up to his face and gave it a few licks. 

The two of them sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s company, when suddenly they heard it. Thundering pawsteps coming from outside the nursery. It sounded like multiple cats. Echobreeze froze and looked at Spiderleap, her blue eyes wide.

Spiderleap looked just as worried as she did, but he stood up and comfortingly brushed his tail along her spine. “It’s okay, I’ll protect you.”

 _No, you need to leave!_ The words rang in the back of Echobreeze’s mind, dying to be shouted, but when Echobreeze opened her mouth, no words came out. 

The entrance of the nursery as two large cats entered. Their strong build and scarred pelts indicated that they were indeed guards. One was a large dark grey tom, while the other was a smaller tabby she-cat with thick black stripes.

Echobreeze was petrified with fear.

“Stonefall, Lightningclaw,” Spiderleap addressed the two of them nervously.

“Spiderleap,” came Stonefall’s reply. “Did it occur to you that you are out of your nest past curfew?”

“Really? Must have slipped my mind,” Spiderleap rambled, kicking the half-eaten blackbird behind Echobreeze so it was out of sight.

“Is that… prey?” Lightningpelt asked, narrowing her eyes into amber slits. 

“What?”

Stonefall let out a low growl as he struck a hard blow across Spiderleap’s face, knocking him off of his paws. Spiderleap fell to the ground with a yelp. 

“What is going on in here?” came the tired voice of Rosethorn, a queen who had been sleeping soundly in the back of the nursery.

“Stay out of this!” Lightningclaw snapped at her. Rosethorn flinched and shrunk back in her nest with her kits, realizing what was happening. She shot Echobreeze a sympathetic look, but Echobreeze ignored her. She was trembling far too much to pay attention to anything.

Stonefall searched the ground and came across the blackbird. With a hiss, he batted it over in Lightningclaw’s direction.

“Look what I found,” he told her.

Lightningclaw turned to Spiderleap, who had a well-sized claw mark on the side of his face from Stonefall’s blow. Spiderleap shakily rose to his paws.

“You caught prey for yourself _and_ went out past curfew,” Stonefall hissed. “Do you realize how many parts of the SpiritClan code you broke?”

For once, Echobreeze wanted him to say something. _Please, speak up like the strong cat I know you are._

But Spiderleap stood there in silence, breathing heavily and letting the blood trickle down his cheek.

“Take him to Rookstar,” Lightningclaw growled. “She’ll know what to do with him.” 

Stonefall grabbed Spiderleap by the scruff of his neck, causing him to yowl with pain, and started dragging the young warrior out of the nursery.

“No!” Echobreeze cried, lunging toward the two guards in a fit of rage. But something pulled her back. It was Rosethorn, holding her back by her tail.

“Echobreeze, you can’t!” the old queen demanded. “You’re going to get yourself killed. I’m sorry, but Spiderleap’s fate was sealed the moment he broke the code, and there’s nothing you can do.”

It took every ounce of self-control to not swipe her claws across Rosethorn’s muzzle. “I can’t just watch and do nothing!” she argued, ripping herself free from Rosethorn’s grasp.

She darted out the nursery, leaving Featherkit in her nest, and ran through the layer of freshly-fallen snow. 

“Let him go!” she demanded at the two guards. Spiderleap was still struggling in their grasp. “He was just trying to protect me!”

“Shut it, she-cat!” Stonefall hissed, letting go of Spiderleap’s scruff. Spiderleap tumbled into the snow. “The only ones who are in charge of keeping you safe are us, the guards. That is not his responsibility, nor is it any other cat’s. He broke the SpiritClan code, and now he will suffer for his mistakes.”

“Well, maybe the SpiritClan code is wrong.”

Stonefall’s ears pricked up as he heard Spiderleap speak. Spiderleap gingerly rose to his paws and panted.

“What did you say?” Lightningclaw challenged.

“I said, maybe the SpiritClan code is wrong!” Spiderleap shouted with dignity. 

The guards had heard enough. With a hiss, Lightningclaw leapt at Spiderleap with her claws unsheathed. She tackled Spiderleap and pinned him to the ground. Spiderleap feebly tried to fight back, but when Stonefall came to assist Lightningclaw in fighting him, it was all over.

“Stop it!” Echobreeze shrieked. She so desperately wanted to help, but she was frozen with fear. She couldn’t bring herself to move.

Stonefall bit down on Spiderleap’s neck, and blood started to ooze out. The life drained from Spiderleap’s eyes. The black tom went limp, and the two guards eventually let him go. 

There Spiderleap lay, motionless, as blood gushed from his neck and painted the snow red. 

“No!” Echobreeze sobbed, rushing over and burying her head in Spiderleap’s chest. “Spiderleap, please, stay with me. Don’t go, please don’t go, you’re so much stronger than this.”

“I’m sorry,” Stonefall said expressionlessly. “But those who break the code must be punished. On top of hunting for himself and staying out past curfew, he spoke back to a guard and questioned Rookstar’s authority.”

Echobreeze thrusted her muzzle in both of their faces. “You killed my mate!”

“We did what we had to do! You know what happens to codebreakers!” Lightningclaw hissed. “The SpiritClan code didn’t change overnight!”

Echobreeze felt anger burn within her like a wildfire, growing bigger and bigger. She raced back to the nursery and into her nest, where Featherkit was still sleeping soundly.

Echobreeze’s heart twisted with grief as she saw Spiderleap’s black feather resting on Featherkit’s head. His words rang in the back of her mind. _Just something to remember me by._

Echobreeze felt the reality of the situation wash over her like a flash flood. Spiderleap was dead. He was gone, faded to a mere memory, and she would never see him again.

 _I can’t live like this anymore,_ Echobreeze thought. She grabbed Featherkit by the scruff. Featherkit let out mewls of protest, but it didn’t stop Echobreeze. 

“Where are you going?” Rosethorn called.

“I’m leaving this place, and I’m not coming back,” she said curtly. Not bothering to listen to what Rosethorn had to say, she darted out of the nursery.

Wind whipped through Echobreeze’s pelt as she ran through the cold forest. The snow bit at her paws, but she kept running and she didn’t stop.

 _This is for you, Spiderleap,_ she thought. 

“Hey!” came a voice. It was Stonefall. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Echobreeze didn’t listen. She just kept running. She was free.

But then she wasn’t.

Right as she reached the SpiritClan border, a crowd of guards blocked her way. Echobreeze was cornered. Still clutching Featherkit in her jaws, Echobreeze cautiously backed away, trying to figure out a way she could get out of this mess she had gotten herself in. But there was no way. She was surrounded.

 _Eaglestrike._ She instantly recognized the SpiritClan deputy, standing in front of the group of guards. 

“Not trying to escape, are you?” one of the guards sneered. Eaglestrike silenced him with a flick of his tail.

“Put your kit down,” Eaglestrike ordered with a firm but level voice. 

Echobreeze was so frightened that she didn’t know what else to do other than obey Eaglestrike’s commands. She set Featherkit down in the snow, praying that she wouldn’t die of the cold. 

“Guards.” Eaglestrike addressed the legion behind him. “You know what to do. She tried to escape.”

 _No!_ Echobreeze braced herself as the large group of cats came storming toward her. Then she 

remembered Spiderleap, his kind nature, his dumb jokes, the way he always cared for her no matter what the circumstance.

_If I die tonight, I’m going to do it fighting._

Echobreeze reared up on her hind legs and outstretched her paws with unsheathed claws as one of the guards leaped at her. When he had her pinned, Echobreeze raked her claws under his underbelly.

The fight was fair, but more and more guards piled on top of her. Echobreeze mindlessly batted her claws in every which direction, but to no avail. The weight on top of her became heavier. More and more pairs of claws sliced through her flesh. Every inch of her body burned and bled, but she wasn’t going to give up. 

But then a set of sharp teeth was clamped around her neck. The pain went from excruciating to unbearable all at once, then it started to subside.

Echobreeze’s vision went blurry. She wanted to get up, but she was just so exhausted. She wasn’t in pain, though. She was just numb all over. The last thing she heard was an agonized mewl of a kit.

 _Oh, Featherkit,_ she thought. _I’m so sorry._

Then the world went dark forever.

“What are we going to do with the kit?” Ravengaze asked.

Eaglestrike looked down on the pathetic scrap of fur that was mewling in the snow. “She’s as good as dead anyways. I say we just put her out of her misery already.”

“So we kill her?” another guard, Redfoot, asked him.

“Yes, kill her,” Eaglestrike repeated. “Her parents broke the code, who’s to say she’s not going to do the same if we let her live?”

Without hearing another word, Eaglestrike padded up to the shivering kit and unsheathed his claws. He raised his paw. Right as he was about to strike the kit, a voice behind him called, “Eaglestrike!”

Eaglestrike froze at the familiar voice. He turned and saw he was facing Rookstar, the leader of SpiritClan herself.

“Rookstar,” he said, instinctively dipping his head respectfully. “I thought… both of this kit’s parents are dead because they broke the code. If we let the kit live, she might grow up to be like them.”

Rookstar pondered for a moment, her expression unreadable. There was a saying throughout SpiritClan; “Silence is deadly.” Rookstar was a generally calm but unpredictable cat. She never raised her voice, but her words still had the potential to bring destruction.

“Spare the kit,” she said simply.

“But-”

“Did I stutter, Eaglestrike?” she said firmly. 

Eaglestrike went quiet for a moment, then bowed his head. “Yes, Rookstar.” He turned to the guards. “Quit standing around. You heard her. Ravengaze, Lightningclaw, you two take the kit and give her to a nursing queen.” 

“Yes, Eaglestrike,” was the abrupt reply. 

The wind whistled as Eaglestrike watched the two guards carry the kit back to the nursery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey bros! this is my first time featuring my warrior cats oc's to the public. if this fic kicks off in the way that i want it to, i'm definitely going to continue it (i mean, i'll probably continue it either way, because y'know, i've got the entire plot planned out in my head). if you enjoyed it or if there's something you'd like to critique, a comment would be much appreciated! even just reading this far means a lot to me. thank you!


	3. Chapter One

Featherkit gaped her tiny jaws in a yawn, revealing rows of needle-like teeth. Her eyes were barely open, but she could feel Rosethorn’s rough tongue rasp over her silver-and-black pelt. Featherkit opened her eyes, taking a moment to get used to the bright sunlight flittering through the cracks of the roof of the nursery.

The first thing Featherkit saw was the pale ginger fur of Rosethorn’s tail wrapped around her. Featherkit tried to stand, but Rosethorn’s paw scooped her from underneath and pulled her back closer. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Rosethorn chided. “Do you see the sun rising over the hills?”

Featherkit glanced over at the crack in the nursery. The hills were dark, with only tints of pink in the sky indicating that dawn was almost there. She looked at Rosethorn and shook her head.

“Then you can’t leave,” Rosethorn said firmly. “Curfew isn’t over just yet. Do you know what your mother would do to me if I let anything happen to you?”

Featherkit buried her head in Rosethorn’s chest fur.  _ My mother is dead, she can’t do anything to you anyways,  _ she wanted to say. But she didn’t want to argue with her. She knew how hard Rosethorn worked to raise her, even after her own biological kits had died due to the cold. Rosethorn was strict with her, but she knew she loved her, especially since she was close with her mother.

“Are you excited for your apprentice ceremony?” Rosethorn asked, suddenly changing the subject. 

Featherkit didn’t reply. If she was being completely honest, she wasn’t sure if she was quite ready to be an apprentice. She enjoyed the blissfully ignorant life she lived inside of the nursery, without having the pressure of the firm SpiritClan code weighing down on her shoulders. 

Rosethorn gave her a soft nudge. “Hey, what’s the matter? Aren’t you excited? Being an apprentice will be fun.”

“I don’t wanna be an apprentice,” Featherkit murmured into a bundle of Rosethorn’s fur.

Rosethorn gently shoved her away. “What? I didn’t hear what you said.”

Featherkit sighed and curled up next to Rosethorn. “Nothing, never mind.”

“You said  _ something.” _

“It wasn’t important,” Featherkit insisted, turning her head away from Rosethorn as a sign that she didn’t want to answer any more of her pressing questions.

Rosethorn sighed. “Featherkit,” she said, almost pleadingly. “I… I know it’s hard. Growing up knowing what happened to your parents.”

Rosethorn rarely ever spoke in such a kind and sympathetic voice, so her sudden softness surprised Featherkit. Still, she didn’t feel very reassured. 

“It’s not that hard,” she told Rosethorn. “They died when I was just a kit with my eyes closed. I didn’t know them.”

“Well,  _ I  _ did!” Rosethorn said, her voice rising. “Echobreeze, your mother, was an incredibly skilled hunter. No mouse could ever hear her pawsteps. On top of it all, she was strong, determined, and always willing to stand up for herself. I should know. I was her mentor.”

Featherkit’s ears flicked up in surprise. She had known Rosethorn and Echobreeze were friends, but she’d never mentioned that she was her mother’s mentor. 

Rosethorn went on. “Your father, Spiderleap, had a pure heart. Every cat loved him for his kindness and charismatic personality. Sometimes cats loved him a little too much, I can remember all that drama that sprouted from Speckleflower’s crush on him…” Rosethorn’s whiskers twitched as she got lost in memory. “Anyways, he was madly in love with Echobreeze ever since they were apprentices. He did anything to protect her, even if it meant breaking the Clan code.” 

Rosethorn’s eyes darkened with sadness and she gazed down at Featherkit. “I can see both of your parents so clearly in you. Echobreeze’s skill and strength. Spiderleap’s kindness and humor. If two amazing cats made you, then I can only imagine how wonderful you’ll turn out, Featherkit.”

Featherkit felt her chest grow warm. As much as Rosethorn could get on her nerves, she always knew the right thing to say. 

With a nod, Featherkit stood up and started toward the exit of the nursery, but she was pulled back once again by Rosethorn.

_ “Where  _ are you going?” she demanded. 

Featherkit’s eyes widened. “Th… the sun is up…”

“No. There is no way I am letting you go outside looking like you’ve been pulled through brambles backwards, especially not on the day of your apprentice ceremony. Come here.”

Featherkit stifled an indignant mew as Rosethorn scooped her closer to start grooming her. At least there was one good thing about becoming an apprentice; she wouldn’t have to put up with Rosethorn’s overprotectiveness.

The entrance of the nursery rattled, and Rosethorn stiffened. But the cat that appeared at the entrance was no guard, only the friendly face of Dewwhisker. 

“Hello!” he greeted. “If it isn’t my two favorite she-cats!”

“Quit being cheesy, Dewwhisker,” Rosethorn groaned between licks. “Don’t you have to be hunting?”

The old grey tom purred and looked at Featherkit. “She’s happy to see me, as embarrassed as she is to admit that we’re mates.”

Featherkit purred with amusement. Everything always seemed brighter whenever Dewwhisker was around. 

“Of course I’m happy to see you, but I just don’t want you getting in trouble for not doing your tasks!” Rosethorn protested, pausing Featherkit’s grooming to glare at him.

“What are you doing, Rosethorn?” Dewwhisker asked, clearly ignoring her previous statement. “Featherkit is nearly an apprentice! She can groom herself, can’t you, Featherkit?”

Dewwhisker pulled Featherkit away from Rosethorn and into a hug. Featherkit laughed as Dewwhisker pressed his muzzle against her forehead. Being a hunter, Dewwhisker rarely ever got to visit Rosethorn and Featherkit in the nursery, but when he did, he always found a way to make Featherkit feel like the most important cat in the world.

“You’re one to speak, with you always treating her like a kit,” Rosethorn retorted.

“I don’t treat her like a kit,” Dewwhisker argued, letting Featherkit go. “I’m just happy to see my daughter, that’s all.”

Featherkit felt her chest grow warm at Dewwhisker’s statement. Rosethorn, as much as she cared about her, never referred to Featherkit as her daughter. Dewwhisker saw Featherkit as if she were his own.

“And I’m excited for your apprentice ceremony!” Dewwhisker said.

“Hunting, Dewwhisker. You’re supposed to be hunting,” Rosethorn reminded him. “Are you even supposed to be here?”

“Bah, I’ve spent the past quarter-moon hunting for those guards. They finally let me have a break this morning. Plenty of time to visit you two.”

Rosethorn rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she was happy to see him. “Whatever.”

An irritable mew sounded from the corner of the nursery. “Could you guys keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep.” 

“Sorry, Cloudpatch,” Dewwhisker said to the tired queen. “We’ll try to be quieter.”

Rosethorn leaned over to him and murmured, “‘Some of us’? Who could she be referring to? Cloudpatch is the only other cat in the nursery, and her kits haven’t even been born yet!”

Dewwhisker shrugged. “Hey, I’ve known from experience to never mess with a tired queen.”

“Yup, we can be pretty scary,” Rosethorn agreed.

Featherkit settled down in the nest next to Rosethorn. If she could recall correctly, Rosethorn and Dewwhisker had litters before, so Dewwhisker wasn’t lying about having experience.

Suddenly, a large cat burst into the nursery. He had a scarred, stoic face and wide shoulders. Featherkit didn’t recognize him, but he was undoubtedly a guard. 

“Wake up,” he barked. His demand only applied to Cloudpatch, who was still lying in the corner of the den with her tail covering her ears. “Apprentice ceremony.”

His stone-cold eyes rested on Featherkit. “You. Come with me.”

Featherkit nervously glanced at Dewwhisker and Rosethorn, who returned the glance reassuringly.

“We’ll meet you there,” Rosethorn told her.

“We’ll be right there, watching your apprentice ceremony!” Dewwhisker added.

“Come on!” the guard urged, flicking his tail. Featherkit flinched before scurrying after the guard. She followed him out of the nursery.

Featherkit had never been too far from the nursery, so seeing the rest of SpiritClan territory was shocking. She would be awestruck if she wasn’t so terrified of the guard walking next to her.

She knew how much the guards demanded respect, so the fact that she didn’t know who this cat was made her feel painfully guilty. He was a short-furred, white tom with yellow eyes, and like most guards, he had his fair share of scars. 

She ran through all the guards she knew. She knew Willowspring, Rosethorn and Dewwhisker’s son. There was Blackflame, a guard who had scolded her once for wandering too far from the nursery. She also knew of Stonefall and Lightningclaw… the guards who had killed her parents. But none of them had fit the description of the white cat that walked beside her.

“There’s no need to be too nervous.” Featherkit jumped, startled by the guard’s sudden words. “All you have to do is sit upon the Highrock while Eaglestrike delivers the oath. You don’t even have to do anything. Your family will be right there watching you, just like your father said.”

Featherkit nodded. She was honestly surprised that this guard was giving her advice. Normally guards weren’t allowed to show much emotion or sympathy toward other cats.

“If you’re nervous about seeing Rookstar, don’t worry,” he went on. “She rarely ever shows herself during apprentice ceremonies. She has other things to worry about. And Eaglestrike’s a reasonable and level-headed cat, despite his intimidating appearance.”

“Thanks,” Featherkit managed to squeak.

“Yeah.” The Highrock came into view over the hills. It was meant to be in the very middle of SpiritClan territory. Seeing how far away it was, Featherkit realized how big their territory really was.

“Featherkit! Featherkit! Hey!” Featherkit turned her head at the sound of the familiar voice. It was Goldenpaw, standing outside the apprentices’ den as they passed by. Featherkit purred. She and Goldenpaw had been kits in the nursery together, but they had hardly gotten to see each other after Goldenpaw had become an apprentice.

Featherkit nodded in Goldenpaw’s direction to acknowledge that she had seen her.

“Friend of yours?” the guard asked.

“Y-yeah,” Featherkit replied reluctantly. “We grew up in the nursery together.”

“Ah,” the guard said simply. “You know, guards are encouraged to distance themselves from other cats. If you plan on becoming a guard, you should practice now.”

“Oh.” Featherkit didn’t know how to respond to that. Luckily, she didn’t have to.

“We’re here,” the guard announced as they approached the Highrock. There were several cats gathered in front of it. “Stay there. Eaglestrike will call you up in a moment. And Featherkit… good luck.”

Featherkit didn’t know how to feel about this guard. He seemed like he was familiar with her, but she hadn’t heard of him at all. 

She was suddenly brought out of her thoughts when the crowd of cats in front of the Highrock gasped. Featherkit looked up, and her heart stopped.

The cat approaching the top of the Highrock was not Eaglestrike. 

It was Rookstar.

Featherkit had never seen Rookstar, but she had heard her be described many times. Her lithe but muscular figure. Her shining, black and white pelt. A long, nasty scar that knotted across her right eye, but otherwise, strikingly beautiful.

“Greetings, cats of SpiritClan,” Rookstar announced. “We are gathered here on this lovely morning of newleaf to witness a new apprentice being made. Featherkit,” she beckoned, “Come join me at the top of the Highrock.”

Everything was silent as Featherkit nervously made her way up the Highrock. Everything except Featherkit’s hammering heart, that is.

Featherkit sat down in front of Rookstar, holding her chin up high so that she didn’t come across as scared.

“As tradition states, you shall spend your first two moons as an apprentice without a mentor, learning by watching the other apprentices before being assessed," Rookstar went on. "So from this moment forward, until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Featherpaw."

There were no cheers, only anxious and confused murmuring throughout the crowd of cats. Without knowing what else to do, Featherpaw bowed her head toward Rookstar respectfully. "Thank you, Rookstar." 

Rookstar looked at her, her expression difficult to read. "I see a lot of potential in you, Featherpaw."

Featherpaw didn't have time to dwell on Rookstar's words before she heard Goldenpaw's voice cut through the silence. "Featherpaw! Featherpaw!"

A purr rose in Featherpaw’s throat as the rest of the cats joined in on Goldenpaw’s cheering. “Featherpaw! Featherpaw!” They echoed across the clearing. For a moment, Featherpaw forgot about Rookstar staring at her as though there was a hidden meaning to this ceremony that she wasn’t catching onto. Featherpaw bounded down the Highrock, and immediately was joined by Goldenpaw.

"Wow!" Goldenpaw cooed, her bright eyes wide. "I can't believe that _Rookstar_ delivered the oath for you! You must be really special for her to do that."

"I can't believe it either," Featherpaw murmured. She wish she shared Goldenpaw's optimism, but the whole thing just made her head spin. She quickly gave her head a shake in hopes that it would clear her racing thoughts. "I'm sure it's not that big of a deal."

"Featherpaw!" She spun around and saw Dewwhisker padding toward her with a proud expression on his face, Rosethorn not far behind him. "Congratulations! You're officially an apprentice!"

"And I'm officially no longer a queen," Rosethorn grumbled. "Back to hunting duties. Hooray."

Dewwhisker gave his mate a playful nudge. "At least we'll get to see each other more often! Won't that be great?"

"Of course," Rosethorn replied nonchalantly. "I'm thrilled."

"Rosethorn! Dewwhisker!" a guard barked from a small distance away. "The apprentices' ceremony is over! Don't think that just because your daughter is an apprentice means that you've been released of your duties!"

"Speaking of which," Dewwhisker muttered. "We'll see you later, Featherkit- er, Feather _paw._ Wow! That's going to take some getting used to."

_ "Now!" _ the guard repeated.

Rosethorn and Dewwhisker sheepishly darted toward the guards' directions, leaving only Goldenpaw and Featherpaw. Featherpaw looked around and saw her Clanmates giving her funny looks as they passed by. She ignored them and turned to Goldenpaw.

"Come on!" Goldenpaw chirped. "I'll show you where the apprentices' den is!"

Goldenpaw lept to her paws and bounded away. Featherpaw tilted her head.

"Hey, Goldenpaw, isn't the apprentices' den _that_ way?" Featherpaw asked, jerking her chin in the opposite direction.

Goldenpaw froze and flattened her ears in embarrassment. She returned to her usual playful expression not a moment later, though. "Of course! I knew that. Clearly, I've been an apprentice longer than you, which means I know more, which is why I was testing you."

Featherpaw purred with amusement and walked over to Goldenpaw to nudge her playfully. "We'll see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rookstar: i'm about to make this child's life a living hell just to prove a point


End file.
